Lubricant gauge device



Nov. 9, 1943. s. B. wlLsoN 2,333,838

LUBRICANT GAUGE DEVICE Filed Dec. 2, 1940 Jlys Patented Nov. 9, 1943 i UNITED ,gsTATas PATENT. OFFICE `j f j 2,"333,s3

v t LUBRICANT GAUGE DEVICE Steven B. Wilson, ANewto'1' 1`, jMass.,assigner to` Fram Corporation, Eastzlrovidence, It. I., a

corporationyoffithode Islandl., 'I

Application beemter 3, 1940s'ria1N0. 363,245

42 claims. (chas-12cm 4' `My present invention relates to means for inspecting and measuring lubricating oil,` as used for example in automotive and other internal combustion engines and other organizations em- 'playing uid lubricant, to determine not only the quantity of the oil'supplybutespecially its condition as to clarity, as a gauge of the cleanness 'of the lubricant and its iitness for lcontinued use. More particularly the invention aims to provide a simple, inexpensive and otherwise improved construction for a gauge device of the inserted rod or socalled dipstick type, such as those of my Patent No, 2,176,618, dated October 17, 1939, and of my herewith copending application Ser. No. 259,855,V iledMarch 4, 1939, now Patent No. 2,224,123, dated December 3, 1940. As-to all common subject matter the present application is in such part a continuation of said copending application. f

In the accompanyingillus'trative'drawing;

Fig. 1 is an elevation'of a gauge or stick embodyingby way of example one vstructuraleform of the invention, viewing-the viront or oil clarity inspectionface of the device;V i Y Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the-stick of Fig. 1', with a'small'portion of itshandleelement-broken away; I Fig. 3 is a partial `longitudinal section of the lower or inserting end of the stick, as upon the line 3-3 of'Fig. 1; y l s Fig. 4is an enlarged cross section'as on the line 4 4 of Fig.4 2, looking toward the handle 'or supporting end;

Fig. 5 is a cross section ofthe insertingportion of the stick as uponV the line 5-5 of Fig. 1, on a, similar-scale as infyFigLv-i and looking toward the lower or inserting end of the device;

and Y L.' l..

- Fig. 6`is an-elevational'view of the lower por- -tion `of the stick, that at 'fthe left in Fig. 1 but llooking at its rear or- I'quantity-gaugirvgf face, opposite to that of Fig. 1.

' As fully explained in 'my earlier copending cases above identified,- itisdesirablev in connection with fluid lubricated' organizations as above re- `ferred to that a reliable 'and convenient meanjs be available for determining byinspection the clarity condition, as 'an index of harmful contaminatioxn of the fluid oil content of the lubri- Vcat ing systemspf suchworganizations. This-is particularlyi important in oil f `systems havingl a `should periodically be given attentionglpas by changing a lter cartridge or other partj'or-the ilter as a whole, promptly when the' oillreaches a* predetermined degree of'darkening contamination, generally; shortof -blackness or opacity. Such meansis also desirable for non-filtering systems, to `indicate for achange of the oil.

`Lubricating systems such `as referred to commonly are equipped with oil quantity gauges, automotive engines, for example, having a rod or `dipstick removably inserted into the oil chamber of the crankcasethrough an aperture providedV for the purpose. While my oil quality gauge or. inspector may be constituted as a separate device,'preferably andin the illustrated examples it is combined with the quantity gauge ordipstick, desirably in such manner that the quality determining` means is looked at as a matter of ordinary routine whenever a reading of the quantity indication isv taken; 1 y

l Referring to the drawing' in further detaiL-the .oiliinspector stick in this instance is? fashioned in the: entirety of` its main portions as a onepiece'` device, formed fromia single unitary length of a metal or'other stock .or material, generally -in rod,` wire or blade form,"and of a` character initially adapting it to be stamped or otherwise .worked intona formation such as here represented by wayofexample, a suitable material .forthe purposebeing an inexpensive, relatively soft. grade of steel' or other metal or alloy.

. f'I'he oilV inspector device'. as here illustrated vcomprises a 'supporting and manipulating portion `or handle 8 the outer end ofv which is bent to io'rm,` a; grip 9. lThe handle is of any convenient length as appropriate to the particular circumstances of use, it being'understood that in Figs; 1 and 2v an intermediatesection is broken -away to conserve space. The stick further comprises abody or inserting portion indicated as a wholeby thenumeral IIJ, the lower or inspecting portion'Itof which is adapted to be 'immersed in the oil; ,Y Y

'i The; oil immersibleportion of the stick is stamped or otherwise 'formed to provide an elongatedshallow open trough or nat pocket-like oilinspecting chamber 20, seen in section in Fig. 5,

' having upsetside walls 2|',` 22 and a lower end wall A23'. Such upsetting formation' is facilitated by the relatively'soft character of the steel, alloy or other material. This oil pocket or inspection 'chamber 20 may be otherwisei formed `asiby milling outa length of the stock material -to afford the "low retaining walls such as illustrated The walls' of the chamber 2U in the completed device desirably have a height calculated, by test 'orfV otherwise, with reference to the lightfreective'property of the oil'inspecting or clarsuch as in a crank case, in which the stick is 'A to be inserted.

The distinctive indicating area'v or. .surface stick it is surrounded by the wall or walls of the inserting aperture of the crankcase or the like, the main element is formed with a lateral offset 35, as by stamping and bending the initial piece of stock to the widened and somewhat flattened A shape as shown in Figs. 1 and 2- by Way of example.

Laterally opposite the .offset .35 andcooperable witlrit'as'a friction latch'meansis' a relatively short longitudinally extending spring member 36,

-, which may be a resilientA steel or other metal means on the door of the chamber for affording the visual indication as to thoil c'zla'ri'ty"v be variously provided, as dis'clo'sedr' example in my Patent No. 2,176,618, I have here shown for the purpose an indicatorstrip" (')rplatel 25,#

which may be like that of my said copending application, of metal or other material," fr eX'- ampi'efa ternefplatefhaving al surface-.suitable for lithographing,l printing or` likeiyisually modifying-I' formation.' rIfhis strip A"may f and d'e'sirably does include' `afquantity indexfor `marking such as aline andthe legend '-fullo A 'similarquantity iindex may 'bei providedl' on` the =reverse face of the 4im'ni'ersible'stick portionl Ilgieither' 'additionally orA alternatively, asr` herein represented by4 wayfoffexample'in Fig. 6 at 2B; y

"Ihesurface meansfforvisually indicatingthe i,

oilclarity-degre'ernay include' lettered indicia 21, such as Cleanf the'light-ree'ctivity of' such in'- dic'zia-andr the'associated background4 or surface 28l 'having-'any lselected rcolor, shade, tone', mirrorfinish-or 'other characteristic" forfvisually' disting'uishing 'or contrasting with-the vcloudingfmao ter in the oil. Said'. surface" me'ansvincluding any indicia' or otheri`li`ght=renectingi areas,wto getherfwith any 'suitable legend' or instruction such aslhere'indicatedat 29" Vfor/informing a's toi4 theohan'ge-rto be` made in response tov the 'cla'litx'r''irldica'tioii,-v m'ayr beprovided by the litho graphing pro'e'es'syor by' other' method ofprintingor applying" surface modification kof Ia chara'cter'v serviceable under' the: temperatures Vand other" 'operating conditions ordinarily' found in the crank-eases 'of' internal''c'zombustionV engines.

Below'v orf beyond the' oil chamber 20,.toward the-'insertingend of' the'stic'k, the latter hasV an integral'exteii'sionor foot '30adapted to'liinit the approach of the lower "end of the chamber 2D tto thebottoin of the crankcase orother 'oil-containing space. The spa'cirlgfof' the lowerA end Wall '2'3 of saidfchamberfrom theI endf ofy the foot or 'stop '30"is made' su'iicient'- to insure thatv the 'oil' to be inspectedy shall 4be taken from ther ac'- tive, circulatingfbo'dy of oil, without collecting from any accumulation-'of tarry' or sludge-like substance sometimes .precipitate-d' on' and adhering to the oor of a crankcase' `or similar oil housing. slnowninv Fig's;V :1f kand '2t-he rtipr of lthe ifootiSllfmay be bevel'led'as' at '31" to facili- -t'ate `entrance-'of .thefstick .at the-inserting Sapert'ure'. For bsimilar' reasons thez lower 'end Wall .portionfo'f thechamber Zllyvvhiohv latter iswider than 'the' foot'30gyhas afbevelled or rounded form in the region of :itsjiolnotu'rey 'with' said foot, as -seen'at 32mm Fig. .1;

Referring itoFigs. 1- and 2, the body or 'insert l'portionf Ifll'o'fv the stickv Acontinues integrally-"be- Ayorid the-oil-inspectingpartproper :l rI for 'ay zdis'- --t'ance appropriate for the particular Tong-ine- `or .apparatus with which. Lit isi to be used..

:At' the" upper .or Vouter 4part of said' inserting Wire. The lower end of this spring latch memb'r 35`iis'i'risrted through an anchoring aperture 31 in the. stick andis turned or hooked as at s tarn-oid it-in position. The other end of this n siriiigjiatenes'sodomy received in o longitudinalrecess 3`li' the adjacent portion of the stick handlecB-I 11 Said-.upper movable end of the friction latch member 3'6 is held against displacement laterally ofthe stick-by,v the; combined stop andv cap'4!) having: acentral.: hubfor' boss-24|; The capf'and its'l huid, have@ afi central: throughiaperture'- of a diameter;l permittingv the' cap: tov l be slipped onto anida-longv thehandle end Ioffth'e stick into` its position 'a'dj acent, the:l outer Verid'vof 'the offset 35, as seenin Figs:l l,. 2and 4, where it Vsurroundsgand Iconlres-`the^outer movable' end'- of `the" spring latch v36 Jto its 'recess' 39fin the stickfhandle portion;

This capelement 40 Ais `held ylongitudinally as by the` retairrlngl ears 42V stamped Afrom the ma,- terialof the-stick4 handle, above 'the cap. 4At its inner; or' lower' face fshefcap` is positioned by abuttingv engagement-witlr` the adj acent,v widened port-ionof' the offset 35.' Preferablyy `acentrally aperturedl-fel-t, leather orfotherwasher or gasket 43 ris 'provided at-'thelowenface offthe cap.lv This vcapdevice-4|! i to '43*limits the extent-of the insertion of the gauge stick into the aperture' in the ,crankc/ase.orv otherfoilcontainer, thus posi- .tioning it vlongitudinally, andgalso covering said aperture.1-In-the presentexample said means further; serves, as above-pointed out, as a retainer for the upper movable'endkof thespringinra. ,mannen permitting longitudinal :movement of thelatter. when4 the spring is. compressed nby the wall or walls of the stick-receiving aperture, it being. understood-that the offset. 35 and-associated .spring 36 j-are. adapted `to engage saidy wall or walls in the manner of a. frictiondatch to hold the dipstick-m .installed position, .subject to Withdrawal for inspection purposes.. l

The indicator strip or plate r`25. already de- .scrfibedis-in.`- the present embodiment -held in placefilatwise on the-bottom kof the oil recess or `cliarnb-in A21k-bythe--insettir'ig of the lateral walls 24,-; ;22- over the omet-longitudinal edges Aof the strip. The strip may -be otherwise secured, as by spot- -welding The.y` illustrated construction, however; permits:v of replacement and renewalv of theindicatcr plate-or the, substitution of a different similar device appropriate :to some changed condition .at thep'oint ofy use; 'To-assistl in visu- -allyflocating thisdipstick or gauge-device andas an aid-tofidentifying'it asan o il quality comparative or inspecting means, a portion of the handle', Lsuoh` as the outerz andgherein curved grip part 9; may be? distinctively colored; asA indicated by' thelining at:.',;9a; the color orange being' s eflectedby wagon-example., As a-further reminder oLthe' oil quality' indicating; function-olf this; dipstickf thef'colrgapplied as atrlla: may bathe same as thatifor'thezquality indicia-21er itsbackglfund. f

portion ro,wherozmrhomsera position vortho ma Itwi11rbeoevidonuifromfthefofegomgumthe gauge stick as here disclosed embodies advantages of that of my copending application Ser. No.

259,855 together with the various features of improvement, including general simplicity of construction and ease and cheapness of manufacture, resulting from the described integral or one-piece formation for the main portions of the inspector stick proper.

My invention is not limited to the exemplary embodiment as herein illustrated or described, its scope being pointed out in my claims as follows:

1. An oil dipstick comprising an integral onepiece elongated stick formed of a wire-like metal stock and having structurally continuous handle and inserting portions, the latter including an oil-retaining lower or trough part to be immersed in the oil, said integral stick formed with a lateral offset adjacently below its handle portion, a separately formed longitudinal spring member opposite and laterally spaced from the oifset between its ends, the lower end of said spring member having a hook-like seating formation, a receiving aperture for the latter at the inner end of the offset portion of the stick thereby detachably to anchor said lower end of the spring member on the stick, a longitudinal recess in the stick adjacent the -upper end of the spring member and slidably receiving the latter for lengthwise movement thereof under compression of the spring member toward the offset, and a cap and positioning device surrounding and fixed on the stick at the upper end of the spring member and releasably confining it to said recess.

2. An oil dipstick comprising an integral onepiece elongated stick element formed of a wirelike metal stock and having structurally continuous handle and inserting portions, the latter including an oil-retaining lower or inspecting part to be immersed in the oil and to withdraw a quantity thereof for inspection, an integral offset :between the inserting and the handle portions of the stick element, a longitudinally bowed spring disposed laterally opposite said offset, said spring attached at its lower end to the stick element, a longitudinal recess on the stick element slidably receiving the upper end of the spring, a centrally apertured disk-like cap concentrically mounted on the recessed portion of the stick element so as to enclose and conne the upper spring end to said recess, and a downwardly projecting abutment foot on the lower end of the inserting portion of the stick element and projecting below its oil-retaining part to a substantial predetermined extent adequate positively to limit insertion of said part to a level spaced above the bottom of an oil-containing chamber suciently to be clear of usual accumulations of non-circulating contaminant matter precipitated thereon, said foot and the inserting portion of the stick element being cooperatively dimensioned lengthwise relatively to said disk-like cap for seating of the latter at the dipstick-inserting entrance to such oil-containing chamber.

STEVEN B. WILSON. 

